Mizuno Just Unveiled a 96-Gram Super Shoe Built for Speed

Mizuno has unveiled a new racing shoe that weighs just 96 grams, putting it among the lightest carbon-plated racing shoes ever announced.

The Mizuno Hyperwarp 96 is designed as the company's latest high-end racing shoe and is expected to make its competitive debut at the 2026 Berlin Marathon. At 96g, it is slightly lighter than Adidas' Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, which weighs 97g on its listed specifications.

The shoe uses Mizuno's new Enerzy XP+ foam, with the company removing material from areas it considers less important to performance in an effort to cut weight. Despite the low overall weight, the Hyperwarp 96 retains a 39mm heel and 36mm forefoot stack, giving it a 3mm drop.

Mizuno has also fitted the shoe with a full-length carbon plate, including a cutout beneath the heel to further reduce weight. The upper takes a different approach, using a 3D-engineered, spray-on construction rather than conventional laces.

The outsole is similarly minimalist, using a thin resin-based construction intended to provide traction without adding significant weight.

The Hyperwarp 96 is expected to go on sale toward the end of 2026 at around £400, placing it firmly in the premium "hyper shoe" category.

The bigger story is the direction of elite running shoes: manufacturers are now trying to combine marathon-level cushioning, carbon-plate propulsion and race-day durability while pushing weight toward the 100-gram mark. Mizuno's latest design shows just how far that race is moving.